System and method for consumer management purchasing and account information

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and system that facilitates a platform for online purchasing and account management comprising: a universal shopping cart component, a social networking marketplace, identity and profile management, and a privacy patrol component. The method and system provides the ability to automatically optimize a user's shopping experience.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A system for comparison shopping and optimizing discounts for a plurality of merchants, the system comprising:
 a processing device; and   a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium in operable communication with the processing device, wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to:   receive a selection of a product from a user via a user computing device, locate a plurality of comparison products comprising the product as available for purchase at a plurality of merchant websites of the plurality of merchants responsive to receiving the selection,   determine a maximized discount for each of the plurality of comparison products, the maximized discount being determined by applying a plurality of available discounts, the plurality of available discounts comprising public discounts, private discounts, shared discounts, and shipping discounts,   cause a presentation of the plurality of comparison products on a comparison shopping interface via a display device of a user computing device, the comparison shopping interface presenting, for each of the plurality of comparison products, a current price of the product, a discounted price after applying the maximized discount, and a total savings,   receive, from the user computing device, an option to purchase selection for at least one of the plurality of comparison products, and   facilitate a checkout process with a merchant website of the plurality of merchant websites associated with the option to purchase selection at the discounted price.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed, further cause the processing device to determine the maximized discount by applying dollar amount spending threshold discounts. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed, further cause the processing device to determine the maximized discount by prioritizing discounts based on expiration date. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed, further cause the processing device to determine the maximized discount by iteratively applying each of the plurality of available discounts to generate a plurality of discounted prices for the product for each of the plurality of merchant websites by applying different combinations of the plurality of available discounts. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed, further cause the processing device to determine the maximized discount by creating a shopping cart for the product on f the plurality of merchant web sites. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed, further cause the processing device to present a potential coupon on a display of the user computing device, the potential coupon being active based on a potential condition. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the potential condition comprises spending over a threshold amount. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the potential condition comprises a purchase of potential products satisfying the potential condition. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to recommend at least some of the potential products. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to generate a user-centric universal shopping cart for the user, the universal shopping cart being configured to replicate a plurality of merchant shopping carts in a single location, each of the plurality of merchant shopping carts being accessible from one of a plurality of web sites of a plurality of merchants. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
 receive, from the user computing device, one or more items to be purchased from the plurality of merchant web sites responsive to the user placing the one or more items to be purchased in at least one of the plurality of merchant shopping carts, and replicate the one or more items to be purchased in the universal shopping cart.   
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed, further cause the processing device to receive a product selection of a product in the universal shopping cart from the user computing device, wherein the plurality of comparison products are located responsive to the product selection. 
     
     
         52 . A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code configured to facilitate comparison shopping and optimizing discounts for a plurality of merchants, the computer-readable program code comprising:
 computer-readable program code configured to receive a selection of a product from a user via a user computing device;   computer-readable program code configured to locate a plurality of comparison products comprising the product as available for purchase at a plurality of merchant websites of the plurality of merchants responsive to receiving the selection;   computer-readable program code configured to determine a maximized discount for each of the plurality of comparison products, the maximized discount being determined by applying a plurality of available discounts, the plurality of available discounts comprising public discounts, private discounts, shared discounts, and shipping discounts;   computer-readable program code configured to present the plurality of comparison products on a comparison shopping interface via a display device of a user computing device, the comparison shopping interface presenting, for each of the plurality of comparison products, a current price of the product, a discounted price after applying the maximized discount, and a total savings;   computer-readable program code configured to receive, from the user computing device, an option to purchase selection for at least one of the plurality of comparison products; and   computer-readable program code configured to facilitate a checkout process with a merchant website of the plurality of merchant websites associated with the option to purchase selection at the discounted price.   
     
     
         53 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 52 , wherein the computer-readable program code configured to determine the maximized threshold is further configured to determine the maximized discount by applying dollar amount spending threshold discounts. 
     
     
         54 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 52 , wherein the computer-readable program code configured to determine the maximized threshold is further configured to determine the maximized discount by prioritizing discounts based on expiration date. 
     
     
         54 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 52 , wherein the computer-readable program code configured to determine the maximized threshold is further configured to determine the maximized discount by iteratively applying each of the plurality of available discounts to generate a plurality of discounted prices for the product for each of the plurality of merchant websites by applying different combinations of the plurality of available discounts. 
     
     
         56 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 52 , wherein the computer-readable program code configured to determine the maximized threshold is further configured to determine the maximized discount by creating a shopping cart for the product on the plurality of merchant web sites. 
     
     
         57 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 52 , further comprising:
 computer-readable program code configured to present a potential coupon on a display of the user computing device, the potential coupon being active based on a potential condition.   
     
     
         58 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 57 , wherein the potential condition comprises spending over a threshold amount. 
     
     
         59 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 57 , wherein the potential condition comprises a purchase of potential products satisfying the potential condition. 
     
     
         60 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 59 , further comprising:
 computer-readable program code configured to recommend at least some of the potential products.   
     
     
         61 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 52 , further comprising:
 computer-readable program code configured to generate a user-centric universal shopping cart for the user, the universal shopping cart being configured to replicate a plurality of merchant shopping carts in a single location, each of the plurality of merchant shopping carts being accessible from one of a plurality of web sites of a plurality of merchants.   
     
     
         62 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 61 , further comprising:
 computer-readable program code configured to receive, from the user computing device, one or more items to be purchased from the plurality of merchant websites responsive to the user placing the one or more items to be purchased in at least one of the plurality of merchant shopping carts; and   computer-readable program code configured to replicate the one or more items to be purchased in the universal shopping cart.   
     
     
         63 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 61 , further comprising:
 computer-readable program code configured to receive a product selection of a product in the universal shopping cart from the user computing device, wherein the plurality of comparison products are located responsive to product selection.